Stratos or Skeeter

[dsgbraves]

Im looking for a new bass boat and i found two that i like. yall seem like rather unbias folks so id like to hear what you have to say. the Statos is a 2005 201 pro XL , 225 VMAX, fully loaded, low hours, and hes asking 24,500. The skeeter is 2006 ZX200, 225 VMAX, full loaded team boat, low hours. and hes asking 28,000. two important things for me is speed and rough water. which one will do those better. is it justifiable to spend the extra money on the skeeter? thanks

[Jason Phillips]

You need to take both of those boats out and you'll answer your own questions. The boats themselves are in two different catagories in my (not so humble this time) opinion. The ZX200 is a good boat but not a 201. It would fare better competing against a 200.

The only downside to the 201 is that it has the 225 instead of the 250. But, that isn't really a downside. It is still a low 70's boat easily. It will handle rough water great, will have tons of storage, and save you some money.

I personally do not feel it would be worth it to pay the extra for the Skeeter.

[RyanB]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dsgbraves &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The skeeter is 2006 ZX200, 225 VMAX</TD></TR></TABLE>

Is the boat a ZX225 with a 225hp or a ZX 200 with a 200hp? Because if it is a ZX200 with a 225 it is over the rating for a ZX200.

Anyway I owned an 05 ZX225 with a 225hp and now own a 07 201. The Skeeter was a 72-73 mph loaded boat and think a ZX200 would be in the 68-70 mph range loaded. Personally I think the 201 with a 225 would be a low 70's boat and you would have more length.

I am very happy with my 201 but I have a need for speed. I would rid in both and see what suits you fancy;.

[bigfish]

not sure about speed but the stratos will handle rough water much better..

[jcabe]

I am with the other guys on this one take both out and answer that question for yourself. Personally there is no way I would pay the extra for a smaller boat that 201 is awsome riding and quick. Plus it is much more appealing to the eye on the water and behind a truck.

[BernieW]

I have a 05 201 and it handles with no problems. Love the ride and as far as speed I have a Yammy 250 it hit,s mid 70's. Take them both for a ride and try to get a windy day. Even when I buy a new car I test drive it on a rainy day. Good nice weather days won.t tell the story. Have hit some big waves with it got wet once my fault though. Good Luck with either.

[stratman201]

ZX 200 is only rated for a 200hp and it will be smaller than the 201. On your best day in the zx you will maybe get 71gps, on your worst day in the 201 you will get 71gps. As far as ride, really not a fair comparison as the 201 is a bigger boat. I used to own a Stratos and currently have a Skeeter, and I would not hesitate to go back to Stratos when it is time to get a new boat. But, you did mention that speed and ride were the two most important things for you to consider....that being said your decision is easy between the two boats you mentioned. The Stratos wins in both departments.
skip

[F150owner]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dsgbraves &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> is it justifiable to spend the extra money on the skeeter? thanks</TD></TR></TABLE>

Short answer = No. Of course, I'm on the extreme end of the bias scale.

The ZX200 won't have the cockpit room that the 201 has. If the ZX has dual consoles, then there is even less room. Bring a buddy with a tackle bag and he won't have any leg room.

Ride in both, then decide which one is for you. Good luck!

[JJohnSind]

You are comparing completely different boats, but based on your criteria, the Stratos would be a better choice (assuming the Skeeter was a ZX200, not aZX225 - like others have said, the ZX200 is rated for a 200hp). To me a real downside would be the 225 Yamaha on the 201 Stratos. If the Skeeter you are refering to actually turns out to be a ZX 225, it might actually be faster or the same as the 201 with a standard 225 motor on speed.

I had a 2003 201 Pro XL with a 225 Evinrude HO and my "real" world speeds were lower than what you generally hear. My current Skeeter 20i has the same speed as my Stratos 201 did with comparable tournnament loads (actually even slightly faster when really heavy), but my Stratos had a better rough water ride and more compartment storage (it does not have more cockpit room though). My Skeeter fishes much better and is a more stable platform - this is even more evident when FISHING in the wind (instead of comparing the RIDE in the wind). The Stratos rocked more and caught the wind more. The Skeeter had better fit & finish and more bells & whisltles but you pay for that difference if you are paying retail. Street price comparisons, with Stratos' recent price increases, may find the price gap closer now.

In your two specific boats, the Stratos might be priced a little low, the Skeeter probably a little high. You might be happier if you found a 201 Pro XL with a 250hp motor though.

JohnS

[dsgbraves]

i bought the Stratos today, boat is in perfect shape, not a scratch on it. only has about 50 hours on it. the guy was a tough negotiater and i could only get him down another $500. but i think i got a good deal. its killing me that i wont be able to put it in the water for a couple days because of this tropical system moving threw, i guess it would be a good test for rough water though. this is my second stratos that ive owned and im glad to be back in the club. thanks for all the opinions also.

[Jason Phillips]

Congratulations! Post some pictures when you can.

[dsgbraves]

took the boat ou the other day, caught a few fish and got the boat dirty, i have a couple of questions though, Should the boat be hard to steer and high speeds? when going 60+ its really hard to turn the wheel? i was not expecting that. also it seems like it takes a while to plane off on take offs? any reason for that. i think its all in the setup and im not too sure how to adjust it. the boat has a 6" manual jackplate and then on back of that its has a 2" spacer thing. hers some pictures. any ideas on those two issues? thanks

[Jason Phillips]

Good looking boat. That's actually a 201 Duo Pro XL.

The hard to steer and slow holeshot can definitely be due to setup. What is the prop to pad measurement now? How many rpms are you turning? What prop is on it?

Congrats again.

[F150owner]

I had an 8" plate on my last 201. The engine looks set pretty high, may explain a lot of steering torque.

[Tom in Stl]

Congrats on the new boat. How do you like not having carpet? Does the surface get slick when it gets wet?

[Jason Phillips]

It's a non-skid surface. Very small bumps all over it. It's similar to the swim platforms on the backs of some ski boats.

[moodster14]

Duane, Are you saying the higher the motor, the more engine torque you'll have?

[JR19]

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by dsgbraves &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">



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Nice looking boat...but you need a bigger garage

[dsgbraves]

took a couple measurements today and it seems the motor is up a little too high. the prop to pad was roughly 4", im gonna lower it about an inch and then take it out saturday and see if it helped. the prop has 27-T1, 15 1/8 on it.

as for not having carpet, i love it. i use the cast net alot so i get alot of mess on the front of the boat and its alot better then getting all of it in the carpet. it doesnt get slick at all.

[Jason Phillips]

Not saying your measurement is wrong, but would you take it again? At 4" below the pad, you should not be able to trim the motor down all the way without it digging into the ground.

The T1 is a good prop for that combo. Does it have any dings or anything in it?

To answer you question.....yes, the higher you go, you can run into a point where the torque increases.